


Four is a Party

by Blueburd



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-14
Updated: 2017-08-28
Packaged: 2018-08-31 00:38:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,279
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8555815
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Blueburd/pseuds/Blueburd
Summary: | Overwatch college AU |  Genji finds himself in distress as his brother finds someone else to spend time with.  With Angela's help, he finds a way to pick himself back up again.  Will the feelings for Angela he buried a long time ago resurface?  Will Hanzo realize how much his brother is hurting?





	1. Introduction

“Mn…  while I do think everything else is accurate, your anatomy on the waist is a slight bit off.” Angela notices, pointing her own pencil on his sketch.  “Well, it’s manga style, so _some_ anatomy is going to be disproportionate.”

“Is that so?  I thought you came to me for a second opinion on accurate anatomy, and here you are telling me different.” A playful smirk curls her soft pink lips.  Genji mirrors her grin half-heartedly.

“Right, right.  My apologies, Angela.” He erases the faintly sketched lines along the character’s waist, following what the blonde says. 

“When do you have class?” She inquires.  “Not until tomorrow afternoon.  I feel guilty for waiting until the last minute to finish the sketch of my next page.” Grumbles Genji, brow furrowed as he focuses on fixing his mistakes.

“Art is something that takes time and patience…  N-not that I would really know; I’m in medical school, not art school.” Angela chuckles.  She peers over his shoulder, but is careful not to disrupt his train of thought.  A soft sigh escapes her as she feels content in the quietness of the library.  Closing hour approaches, and the two are nestled toward the back of a private study room. 

In Angela’s lap is a medical book she plans to check out another time when the need calls for it.  The content wasn’t relevant to her current studies, so she had no need to take it to her dorm.  Various school supplies litter the table, but in an organized fashion.  Notebooks are stacked, pencils and pens are in their own container, and books from the library are stacked in different places.

“Genji…  is this the real reason you brought me here?” She asks with a slight tilt of her head.  He knew that she didn’t have an eye for art; it seemed rather silly of him to call her up just for this.  He could just as easily looked up references online. 

Genji’s eyes barely perk up—his sketching ceases.  Silent for a moment, he breathes out slowly.

“I was hoping that, um…  you could give me some advice.”  He speaks quietly, as if in suspicion of being eavesdropped on.  Angela blinks twice.  “What kind of advice?”

“It’s returning, Angela.  And I think it might be even worse than before.”

Her brow softens, but her heart rate picks up when she realizes what he’s talking about.

“Genji…  I’m not a therapist—“

_Perhaps that wasn’t the right thing to say._

“But I _am_ your best friend, and I am here to help you with what you’re going through.” Calmly, she lays a hand on his shoulder and gives him a sympathetic look. 

“How long have you--…?”

“Two weeks, at least.” He interrupts, knowing what she was going to say.  Angela nods slowly.  “Depression?”

“That’s could be part of it, yes.”

 _So_ _anxiety_ , she thinks.

“Have you had many attacks?”

“Not a lot.  Once every few days though.”

She bites her lip.  “Do you have any idea what is causing them?”

Genji looks up, away from his unfinished comic page.  “I have some ideas, but I don’t want think that they are the cause.”

“Might I hear them?”

Genji is quiet; eyes scanning the contents on the table as a distraction.  He inhales sharply.

“School, but I have been here for a while now.  It doesn’t add up.”

“The most random things can trigger an attack, even situations you are used to being in.” Angela observes, her German accent lacing her words.  “What else?”

“Classmates, perhaps.” His hands fiddle with his pencil.  Angela is silent, and waits for him to continue.  The young man eyes his phone out of nervousness.

“…  Hanzo has a boyfriend.”

The blonde blinks and perks up in surprise.  Unsure if he was changing the subject or suggesting that this was another cause to his attacks, she lets a light giggle leave her lips. 

“Oh, good for him!  I hope they are nothing but happy togeth—“

“ _Angela_.” Genji interrupts.  She quiets herself.  “He is…” The Japanese man pauses, thinking over his statement before he speaks.  “He doesn’t have _time_ for me anymore.  I am happy for both of them—believe me when I say that Hanzo needed someone else there for him- and Jesse treats him like a prince.  He gives him all his attention, and my brother does the same.” Genji sets down his pencil.  “It gets me down.  It shouldn’t; I shouldn’t feel jealous as I do.  But I feel discarded and invisible around them.”

Angela takes his hand with a gentle touch.  “You want to feel like his family again.” She murmurs.  A nod from the boy.  Angela heaves a soft sigh, and she frees his hand from her delicate grasp.

Silence fills the room; she is thinking of ways to help or benefit Genji.  One idea pops into her mind.  She straightens her back, glancing over at his gloomy face. 

“I have an idea—granted, you might be a bit skeptical at first, but hear me out.”

Genji turns his head at her, listening quietly. 

“Perhaps you could ask to join them on their next outing?   And, to make sure you would not be feeling like a third wheel, I’ll accompany you.  It will be almost like a double date.”

Genji blinks at her.  “B-but we aren’t dating—“

“It doesn’t matter, I don’t think.  Even if we aren’t, there are still rumors around campus of us being a couple.  A double-date with all four of us isn’t unbelievable or unrealistic.”

She has a point, he thinks.  Angela has been a close friend of his since the beginning of high-school.  They are the same age, only a few months apart.  Naturally, they shared many classes together and often sat with each other during lunch (along with Genji’s brother, Amélie, and Fareeha).  Genji admitted to himself that he indeed had feelings for Angela during high school, but it subsided as the end of that stage in their lives approached. 

Now she was merely an old best friend.

“I do not have your brother’s number, nor Jesse’s.  If it isn’t too much trouble, would you mind suggesting this idea to him?”

Genji is still hesitant about the idea.  Nevertheless, it is still an opportunity to go have fun with his sibling again.  He nods.

“Leave it to me.”


	2. CHAPTER I

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I had originally planned this chapter to be a bit longer. Work was busy last week and I've had writer's block since.. TT u TT;; I fully intend to make the next chapters much longer though!
> 
> For updates, my tumblr is kidofsymmetry. I post updates every so often there. ^ - ^

CHAPTER  I

            Class has ended; Genji finds himself more nervous about suggesting the idea Angela had.  After they parted ways from the library, he went back to his dorm to find that Hanzo wasn’t home.  Though he later showed up, admitting under his breath (almost embarrassed) that he was with Jesse.  Genji couldn’t tell if his brother was in a sour mood or a blissful mood.  Either way, he felt that the time wasn’t appropriate to bring up Angela’s idea.

Genji grabs his books and slips them into his backpack, stuffing his pencils inside as well.  He slings his pack over his shoulder when his phone beeps.

 

TEXT:  Angela  
09/22/2016  
5:02 PM

|

Heyyy!  Ask ur brother about our double date plan yet?? : D

He feels a knot in his stomach.  Breathing a quick sigh, he replies.

 

TEXT:  
09/22/2016  
5:03 PM

|

nah, not yet.  was planning on asking tonight tho.

 

Genji stuffs his phone in his pocket, not waiting for a reply.  He exits the room with a nod and a friendly grin to his professor. 

 

Hanzo finishes his geometry class at 5:30 and is home to their dorm by 6:00.  Genji is lounging on the couch reading a book, and he greets his brother in their native tongue. The older replies with a low hum in acknowledgement, but takes a set in an armchair beside their couch.

“How did class go?” Asks the younger.

“It went.” A rather bitter reply. 

Genji bites his tongue.  This wasn’t like him—normally he would come home and lock himself in his room.  Occasionally he would emerge to grab a drink or something, but turn around and go straight back in.

One out of the few times Hanzo decides to talk to him, he’s being _bitter_.

“The professor doesn’t always know what she’s talking about.  It irritates me.” He continues after a long pause of silence. 

“But you’re still learning new things, yeah?”

“Mn.  More or less.  The majority of the material is review, since we’re in the beginning of the year.”

“And that’s understandable,” Genji comments, sitting up and folding his arms behind his head, “but you should still try to be a little more patient with her.  I’m sure you’ll grow to like her.”

Hanzo rolls his eyes.  “Enough of this small talk.  I’m getting tea.” He rises and heads to the kitchen, leaving his brother awkwardly sitting on the couch.  _And I thought the conversation was going at least a little well_ , he mopes to himself.

The elder Shimada returns with a mug of warm chamomile tea.  He takes his seat in the armchair he had previously left, avoiding eye contact with his curious brother.

He can feel Genji’s stare as he breathes in the scent of the tea.  Tense shoulders relax as he sighs.  “What.”

“Nothing--!  Ah, just wondering when we got that tea.  I don’t remember picking it up during our last trip to the store—“

“It was a gift.”

Genji blinks.  “Oh, from Jesse?”

Hanzo nods.  “I mentioned that I had forgotten to buy this tea on our previous trip to the store.” He pauses, glancing away.  “Which is unlike me.  And I refuse to admit to him that the reason I forgot it was because _he_ was occupying my mind.” His brow scrunches up.

Genji lets out a weak chuckle, trying to at least show a bit of sympathy toward his brother.  Instead of teasing him about it as he would normally do, the younger gives him a content smile.

“That’s how you know you’ve got true feelings for someone.  When they’re the only thing on your mind, the first thing you think of when you wake up to the last thing you think about when you fall asleep, you’ve definitely got something good going.”

“What are you saying?” Hanzo’s eyes narrow at his brother.

“I’m saying--…  I’m saying that you and Jesse are gonna be a thing for a while.  And you’re lucky you’ve found someone like him; someone special you can trust.” 

Hanzo softens his brow.  His eyes shift from Genji to his mug of tea in his hands.  “I see.”

“That’s not a load of crap I’m saying.  I mean that, man.” Genji leans forward a bit, trying to make eye contact with his sibling.  Silence passes over the room.  There is no tension; only thought and peace.  The soft sound of the clock ticking is just as barely noticeable as the crickets chirping outside.  Hanzo heaves a sigh, shuts his eyes, and sips his tea before setting it on the side table.

“It is too early in our relationship to determine whether or not our feelings are entirely true.” He says slowly and softly.  Genji straightens, brow furrowed in concern.  “That may be so, but I’m rooting for you two all the way.”

“Thank you, Genji.”

 

.     .     .

            Genji offers to clean the dishes after they’ve eaten their dinner.  Hanzo has retreated to their bedroom and has perched himself on the top bunk.  He has shut the door, clearly wishing not to be disturbed.  The dilemma running through the younger’s head is that he still has not brought up Angela’s double date idea.  Procrastinating it would only end in being chewed out by Angela.  Would Hanzo even want to talk about it?  He seemed as if he was angry at him for even bringing up Jesse before. 

 _He’s just complicated_ , thinks Genji to himself as he finishes up the dishes.  He dries off his hands before checking his phone.  A new text from Angela, seemingly only a few seconds after his last text to her.  It read a simple “Okay” with a smiley emoji.

It has to happen sooner or later, might as well be now.

Genji knocks lightly at the door; not expecting a reply or an invitation in, just a way of saying “I’m coming in”.  He nudges the door open and trudges in with his hands in his jean pockets.  His brother sits on the top bunk; tea in one hand and his tablet in the other. 

Genji walks into the bathroom and takes his toothbrush in his hand.  “Hey, so,” he starts, speaking a bit louder so that Hanzo can hear him clearly.  “I forgot to mention something earlier.”

“What is it?”

“Angela had this really neat idea of all of us getting together sometime—“

“Who’s ‘us’?” Hanzo interrupts.  “Well…  you, me, her, and Jesse.  She thought it’d be fun to all go out sometime.  We could catch a movie together, go down to the boardwalk, grab something to eat…  you know, that kinda stuff.”

There is no reply.  Genji rinses his mouth and spits out the toothpaste.  “Honestly, and it could be my imagination, but you and I aren’t as close as we used to be.” He turns around, wiping his mouth on his sleeve.  “I’m not pointing any fingers here or anything, don’t get me wrong.  But I can see how much Jesse means to you, and the amount of time you spend with him is--“

“Genji, listen to yourself.” The older interrupts.  He has set his tablet aside and his eyes are now strictly fixed on him.  “You’re my brother, my _family_.  Don’t think that Jesse could ever take your place, or anything among those kind of terms.  You’re jumping to conclusions.”   Hanzo rubs his neck.  “Though, I suppose you _do_ have a point.  I hadn’t meant to neglect you, I’m sorry.”

Genji finds himself drawing blanks as his brother apologizes.  He didn’t know what he was expecting him to say, but the apology was quick.  He can tell that his brother is sincere yet he can still feel a bit of a knot in his stomach.

“No, don’t worry about it.” Says the younger, “I should be the one apologizing; I was quick to make assumptions and it was wrong of me.”

“You were telling me how you felt and there’s nothing wrong with that.” Hanzo turns his attention back to his tea, sipping it lightly. 

A brief pause.  “Jesse had asked me out to dinner Saturday.  I’ll see if he’d like some company with us.” A smirk curls his lips, “He is more of an extrovert – a people person – so I doubt that he will turn down the offer.”

“But what if he was expecting to have a more private date?” Asks Genji, snatching up his pajama pants and tucking being the bathroom wall to change.

“Then I’ll give him one another time.  My family comes first, and this is a good opportunity for us to catch up with each other.”

Genji is more than relieved to hear this.  Without his knowing, an ecstatic grin paints his features.  He is happy to see how much his brother has changed over the course of their experience here.  Yes, he is still an introverted hermit, but he is more optimistic than he was before.  Hanzo was deeply broken after their father’s death and was unable to pick himself back up again.  Genji found himself stuck to his sibling like glue throughout his hardships and struggles; it brought them closer than ever before.

Three years had passed since the tragedy; Hanzo would rarely leave Genji’s side.  College classes force them to go separate paths, but only for brief amounts of time.  Life for the two is good. 

Jesse McCree entering his brother’s life is another bonus; Genji wasn’t expecting Hanzo to find someone so soon in the semester, but nevertheless he’s glad for him.  Jesse is another person who can be there for Hanzo when Genji can’t, and it takes weight off of his shoulders.

Not that Genji would even _consider_ his brother a burden. 

But it was more difficult to stay beside his sibling when constant classes and responsibilities kept creeping around the corner.  Jesse provided an extra shoulder to lean on in times of crisis.

“Thank you, Hanzo.” Says the green-haired boy, climbing into his bed.  “Will you be going to sleep soon then?”

“Possibly.  I might read for a bit longer.”

“Very well.  Good night, then.”

Hanzo doesn’t reply.  Genji switches off the lamp beside them and turns over on his side.  It doesn’t take long for him to fall asleep and his dreams are bliss.  The older, on the other hand, finds himself staying up later than he anticipated. 

His thoughts wander far and wide.  He thinks of his brother, he thinks of Jesse.  He thinks of school, he thinks of his home.  Were things all right back there?  Moving to this college in the States was a big step for both he and Genji.  It took large amounts of courage, but both the brothers concluded that it was all worth it.

The time pushes 12:00.  Hanzo heaves a sigh as his watch sounds a few beeps.  He fixes his eyes back on his tablet, continuing to read.  He can barely hear the faint sound of Genji breathing.  It comforts him – and if it were anyone else, he would most likely find himself annoyed and try to leave the room or put in earbuds to tune out the noise.  The thought of his brother with him, however, brings him peace. 

A hand brushes through his long ebony hair.  He should get it cut, he thinks.  He has been mistaken for a woman many times while on campus.  But the person would then realize their mistake as he turned around. 

Hanzo didn’t mind all too much – Jesse had originally mistaken him for a woman the first time they met.  Though he seemed more flustered to realize his mix-up than most other people. 

12:30 approaches.

1:00.

2:00.

By 2:47, Hanzo decides it was time to get some sleep.  He shuts his tabs that he had opened and climbs down the ladder to put his tablet on charge.  The empty mug that held his tea sits beside the electronic device on a coaster.  He changes quickly then climbs back up into his bed.  Darkness floods around him like a comforting embrace.  He pulls up his covers and goes into fetal positon, back facing the ladder. 

It takes time for his mind to shut off completely, but eventually sleep welcomes him.


	3. CHAPTER II

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter mainly follows Hanzo, but we will get more to Genji and Angela in the next chapter.   
> I wrote 98% of this in two sittings and added bits and pieces here and there to correct some things lmao.   
> I hope you enjoy!

Morning arrives soon enough; Genji is up and awake at 7:30. He doesn’t spend much time snoozing as he is eager to get up and going.  Hanzo still sleeps.  Knowing from past attempts of awaking the older, it’s for the best that he is left alone. 

The other changes into his clothes for the day.  He throws on a simple dark red T-shirt as well some black jeans.  He puts on his light gray jacket as well; the classrooms are too cold for his liking, plus the weather was beginning to get cooler anyway.  He eyes a scarf that lies in his sock drawer, debating to wear it or not.

 _Not today_ , he thinks. 

Genji emerges from the bedroom, wiping sleep from his eyes with a yawn.  Soon, thanks to him and his impressive cooking skills, the smell of coffee, bacon and eggs spread throughout their small dorm.  The meat sizzles in a frying pan over the stove, and Genji is hoping that Hanzo would awake soon to the smell of his breakfast cooking.  Food wasn’t always a good motive for his brother, but he never misses a meal.

Genji was a considerably good cook to add.  Hanzo never took much or any interest in the culinary arts, leaving the other to cook their meals when they weren’t home at Hanamura.  The green-haired boy reminisces over the trips they took together as he reaches for two coffee mugs.  Genji himself could say without hesitation that he enjoyed all of their trips, even if they were for business purposes.  His brother, however, would proceed to say that Moscow was too cold, London had terrible food, Numbani was too busy and crowded, and many other complaints.  Australia was a different story; he felt unsafe wherever he went.  Hanzo encountered animals from different kinds of species that could kill him effortlessly. 

 _‘There is nothing this dangerous in Japan,’_ he would say, pointing at a kangaroo.  
_‘This is will leave scratches and wounds littering your body in seconds,’_ he would fuss, gesturing to a koala.

Traveling was fun, and Genji thrives to get out of the States when school lets out in December.  Where, or how, he would go was still a thought that was up in the air.  He could get some of the funds from his family, but the school didn’t offer any kind of expenses for traveling outside the college.  Getting a part-time job was an idea.  Nevertheless, it was another thing he would have to keep up with.  Classes, homework, friends, and his brother most of all were things he already had difficulty keeping up with.

The knife in his hand spreads butter across the surface of the toasted bread.  He cleans it, and proceeds to spread strawberry jam onto the other slice.  Hanzo still sleeps.  Or perhaps he is awake but has yet to emerge.  Genji debates going in and checking on him, but ultimately decides not to; there was still food to prepare.

His thoughts continue to wander before his phone vibrates on the side table a few feet from him.

 

TEXT:  Angela  
09/23/2016  
7:51 AM

|

good morning :)    how r u feeling?

He replies:

TEXT:  
09/23/2016  
7:52 AM

|

Fine.    
Cooking breakfast for the grumpy bear asleep in the top bunk.

 

TEXT:  Angela  
09/23/2016  
7:52 AM

|

hahahaha.  u know better than to call ur big brother that ;)

An amused smile curls his lips.  He figures he should just call her, but Hanzo could still be asleep.  He didn’t want to disturb him, even if he were to be quiet on the phone.

He texts back:

TEXT:  
09/23/2016  
7:53 AM

|

Wanna play some WoW later?  
I want to work on our characters & get some quests finished up.

 

TEXT:  
09/23/2016  
7:54 AM

|

sure!  I don’t have any morning classes today  
i’ll be online around 9.

Genji texts back a simple “OK” before setting his phone aside.  One wouldn’t take Angela for a gamer – and she wasn’t, but she had a soft spot for games in this style.  Her character was a human priestess named Mercy.  Or rather, MercifulValkyrie, as the name “Mercy” was already taken.  Genji played a warrior whose name he couldn’t decide for a while.  His username wasn’t important, but eventually he just settled on naming his character after himself.

As he sets the table with both plates of food, black coffee in each mug, and two glasses of water, the grumpy bear himself appeared out of the corner of Genji’s eye.

“Good morning!” He greets cheerfully in Japanese.  “Did you sleep okay?”

“Mn.” Replies the older, obviously groggy.  Genji notices that he didn’t spend much time snoozing and wonders how late he stayed up. 

“Go ahead and start eating – I’ll grab the cream and sugar for your coffee.”

Hanzo replies with a tired nod.  He takes a seat and presses his head to the backs of his hands, elbows propped on the table for support.  A sleepy yawn escapes him as Genji returns with the contents for their coffee and sets both on the table.  Unsure of how much of each his brother likes, he figures he should let him take care of it himself.

However, the older still being half-asleep, picks up his mug by the handle and brings the rim to his lips.

“Oh, brother wait--!”

Hanzo quickly realizes his mistake with a sharp gasp.  He nearly drops his mug in an attempt to get it out of his hand as quickly as possible.  Not only was the beverage fresh and piping hot, it was bitter and unsweetened, much to his displeasure.

Genji stifles a laugh.  He brings a hand up to his mouth and looks away, hoping the other wouldn’t catch him snickering.  Hanzo groans, rubbing his forehead.  “ _This_ is the kind of day it is going to be.” He mumbles.

“Oh, come on.  Be a little more optimistic, brother!” chirps the younger,” You’re just tired; you’ll wake up eventually--”

“Jesse texted me earlier this morning.  He’s postponing our outing Saturday.”

Genji leans back.  “Oh.”

The other does not reply.  He picks up his fork and messes with the scrambled eggs on his plate.  He’s not even hungry, but it would be rude not to eat.

“I’m sorry, Han—“

“It isn’t your fault,” Hanzo interrupts. “Besides, he said he was _postponing_ it.  Sunday at the soonest, next Saturday at the latest.”

“Ah, then it all works out then!  Granted, I’d rather not wait another whole week for this, but here’s hoping for Sunday.” Genji crosses his fingers with a cocky grin across his face.

“I mentioned that you and Angela had requested to join us.  His reply…  Well, I won’t say his _exact_ reply as it is inappropriate, but you are more than welcome to join us.” Hanzo wasn’t used to Jesse’s slang, but he was a modest enough young adult to know not to use swear words where they weren’t necessary.

“That’s awesome!  I’ll have to thank him the next time I see him.” Genji fidgets in his seat as he stabs his eggs with his fork.  “You know…  I think Angela mentioned that she knew Jesse in high school.  They went to the same place when she was a foreign exchange student here in the States.” He slides the eggs off the fork with his teeth.

“Is that so?” Hanzo replies, working his own utensils on his food.  “I wonder what kind of person he was back then.”

“She said he was quite the troublemaker,” Genji chuckles.  “…  And that he might have had to go to the nurse’s office many a time due to busted lips and bloody noses.”

“He got into fist fights?”

“Yeah, but she said that he was always standing up for the kids who got picked on a lot; it’s like doing the wrong thing for the right reason.  I don’t know all the details, but I always thought Jesse was the type to be… well, not picking on kids, but maybe playfully teasing.  I didn’t really take him to be the type to stand up for the poor guys.”

Hanzo glances at his brother.

“You don’t know him well, then.”

“I’m not denying that.  And that’s one of the reasons our double-date is going to be even better.  We’ll all get to know each other more and maybe swap a few stories.”

The older can’t help a small smirk as his eyes shift back down to his meal.  “I think you’ll find that he is full of surprises.”

“Good surprises, hopefully.”

“Of course.” Hanzo chuckles.

 

.     .     .

            Breakfast is finished and the dishes are all taken care of by 8:20.  Hanzo is in his room preparing for his first class, and Genji is lounging on the couch browsing through social media.  The older inspects himself up and down in the full-length mirror on the back of their bedroom door.  Long black hair is tied up in a loose downward ponytail with the elastic tie toward the bottom of his hair.  His attire consists of dark-gray form-fitting jeans with a white T-shirt as a base, and a tan coat that reached his thighs in length.  Cream colored faux fur lines the edge of the hood, and Hanzo debates throwing on his matching necklace. 

He takes a look back at his reflection, then at the necklace, and hesitantly grabs for it.  The outfit itself was a bit of a step-up from his normal clothing, and he had no doubt that _someone_ would point it out. 

He looks good and feels good nonetheless.

He puts a minimum amount of gel in his bangs to keep the frizz from making an unwanted appearance.  Cologne is applied as usual, and all that’s left are his shoes.  Those are quickly slipped on his modest feet.

The final accessory to be added to his attire is a single, small hoop earring to his right earlobe.

With his backpack positioned properly on his back and shoulders, he leaves his room.  Genji greets him with a wave of two fingers, to which Hanzo replies with a slight wave of his own.

“I’m heading out.  Stay out of trouble, won’t you?”

“You don’t have to tell me twice.” Genji replies with a smirk.

           

            The campus isn’t far and his class is a brief walk from the main office.  His physics class begins at 8:45 sharp, and his professor made certain they started precisely on time.  Hanzo has a few minutes to spare but refuses to let anything distract him from his walk. 

A group of young adults to his right roar with laughter at something the elder Shimada couldn’t care less about.  He briefly glances over and his focus is immediately turned back toward the sidewalk.  All is content in his mind, until a familiar voice residing in the group calls out to him.

“Well hey, darlin’!  I forgot ya had early classes t’day!”

Hanzo tenses; he wasn’t expecting Jesse to be up and out at this time.  He’s glad to see him nevertheless, and slows his gait so that the other can walk up to him.  Jesse waves at his peers, “I’ll catch y’all later, I’ll be back in a jiff!”

“You do not have to abandon your friends just to say hello to me.”

“Abandon?  Naw, they’ll be fine.  Besides—I wanna walk ya to class.” Says the cowboy, adjusting his hat slightly.

A quiet hum is Hanzo’s reply.  Jesse bites the inside of his lip, realizing his boyfriend could very much be irritated with him from his text this morning.

“Hey, uh,” he stutters, “sorry for the lousy news I told ya earlier.  Somethin’ came up with the family and I might have to visit Gabe over the weekend.”

“You do not need to apologize.  The situation is understandable.”

“Good ta hear.  I was thinkin’ you was mad at me when you didn’t reply.”

Hanzo only glances up at the other. 

“But I was probably just misinterpreting things.  Thanks for understandin’.”

“Family is important,” Hanzo agrees, “but were you to not have given me an excuse, I still would have understood.”

A wide grin covers Jesse’s face.  “Aw, you’re the best, darlin’.”

“Now where are we parting ways?” Hanzo inquires as they approach the double-doors to the tall building.

“I’ll walk ya right you the room if you’d like that?”

“I suppose that would be fine.”

Jesse grins, “What classes you got after this one?”

“I have a thirty-minute break between physics and geometry.”

The American gracefully opens the door for him, the smirk still on his face.  “Then what do ya say we head somewhere a lil more quiet after your first class here?  I’ll make it worth your while.” He purrs lowly, reaching for Hanzo’s hand.

The other tenses, but only slightly.  Reflexively, he retracts his hand and brings it to the strap on his shoulder.  “Very well, but only for a short amount of time.  I refuse to be late to any of my classes.”

“Of course, of course.” Jesse chuckles.  “I’ll catch ya on the flipside, darlin’.” And before Hanzo has a chance to reply or say his own good-byes, the cowboy had snuck a quick kiss to his lips.  He blushed with a furrowed brow, mumbling a playful insult under his breath as Jesse strolled off.

 _Things are going to lighten up_ , he thinks to himself as he proceeds to open the door and enter his class.

 

.     .     .

            Hanzo is the type of student who made A’s on all his tests, kept up with the teachers perfectly, and was never tardy for his classes.  His reputation still stood in college, even with things more hectic than his previous schooling.  The elder Shimada is greatly admired by the other students; he is respected in performance, of course, and also personality and appearance. 

He isn’t hard on the eyes, especially considering the effort he puts into getting ready in the morning.  Likewise, he is popular with the women.  Amélie Lacroix, a cocky French woman, is one of his closer friends.  Their conversations would travel deeper than they first intended, and some would end on a somber note.  Hanzo appreciated this—he normally wouldn’t be so open and talkative around others, but Amélie had a way of making him feel comfortable and calm.  She also wasn’t afraid to turn to a more darker topic.

They have similar pasts, though not identical, they were still able to connect and experience empathy for one another.  Hanzo had known her since high school, so she was no stranger to him.  She is merely a person he hadn’t gotten to know until now.

In his physics class, he happened to share a seat beside her.  Both are smart enough to know not to chat or pass notes during class, but they would sit and chat before and after class.  So is the case with today; as everyone dismisses, Amélie grabs him before he gets a chance to slink out.

“Off so soon?”

“I have somewhere to be.  My apologies in advance,” Hanzo replies in French.  He isn’t fluent, but knows enough to make conversation.  He had picked up the language mid-high school and thought it was pointless to learn at first.  He then made a better commitment to learning it once he became friends with Amélie.  She pushed and pushed that he didn’t have to speak her native tongue around her, but he insisted. 

It was good practice for him anyway.

“All right.  A shame, I was going to invite you out for some coffee tomorrow morning too.” She heaves a playful sigh, bringing a palm up to her chin for extra drama.

“If that’s all you wanted to tell me,” Hanzo chuckles, “you don’t have to worry.  I’m interested.”

A coy smile curls her dark-painted lips.  “9:45 okay for you?”

“I will still be in my geometry class.”

Amélie clicks her tongue.  “Forgot about that.”

“It lets out around 10.  I say _around_ ; my professor isn’t the most coordinated person.” He grumbles under his breath.  “I will text you around that time.  I am going to assume that we will be going to the café next to the library?”

“Of course.  They have the nicest brews.” Muses the female, her smirk turning into a dreamy smile.

“That sounds like a plan.  I’ll be seeing you—I’ve got to get going.”

Amélie waves a single hand in response as she leans over and grabs her belongings. 

 

.     .     .

            The time is 9:15; class let out exactly on time.  A pleased look covers Hanzo’s face as he opens his phone to look at the clock, and he wastes no time opening his message app to text Jesse.  A simple “where are you” is sent to him, and within seconds the other replies with a “coming babe”.

Hanzo pockets his phone swiftly and heads out of the building.  The sunlight causes him to squint as he steps outside, and he brings a hand to his forehead to shield his eyes from the light.  Sunglasses are now placed on his face as he patiently (or impatiently) waits for Jesse. 

 _The damn man is probably still chatting with his friends,_ Hanzo speculates.  At the end of his thought, Jesse finally comes into sight.  Was he…  was he running?  No, jogging.  Why was he jogging?  Didn’t he have his car?

Hanzo stands like a brick wall; eyes like a hawk watching his boyfriend approach.  Jesse pants heavily as he comes to a stop. 

“Howdy, darlin’.” He greets mid-pant. 

Hanzo merely stares.  “Where is your car?”

“Well, not here.” Jesse chuckles, but the other isn’t amused in the slightest.  “I-I’ve got it parked someplace real nice.  That’s actually where I was gonna take you.”

“You couldn’t have simply driven here and parked it back where it is now?”

“I was afraid of havin’ that spot taken!” Jesse whines, standing up straight.  Hanzo heaves a sigh and rolls his eyes.

“Lead the way.”

“You got it,” the taller links arms with his partner as he starts toward his car.  It isn’t even within sight; it must be in a more secluded area.

Hanzo is not nonplussed at Jesse’s arm around his own.  He normally wouldn’t prefer to show any sort of affection in public, but as long as they weren’t making a big thing out of it, it would be all right.

That’s what he tells himself, anyway.

If anything, the shorter is content beside his sweaty boyfriend.  He finds himself unknowingly resting his head on his arm as they walk.  Jesse is a bit surprised to say the very least and doesn’t know quite how to react.  He continues to lead nonetheless.

“How’d class go, darlin’?”

“Fine.” Hanzo replies. 

Silence passes momentarily.

“…  You ain’t wantin’ to talk right now?  We might as well; you ain’t gonna have time to talk once we get to the car.”

“I don’t have anything to say, that’s all.”

“I’m sure there’s _somethin’_.”

“Nothing of any relevance.”

Right.  This is how he was going to be.  Jesse quits while he’s ahead, and replies with a low “All right.”

He knows not to push; Hanzo is a flighty man.  Jesse doesn’t understand most of the time, and he thinks he never will.  It’s just something he’ll have to learn to accept over time.  Maybe he was the kind of person who preferred to listen rather than talk?  If that’s the case, why hasn’t he picked up on this sooner? 

Jesse settles with the fact that Hanzo might just have the ol’ case of the blues.  The news from this morning could be enough to give him something to be gloomy about, but he couldn’t stop from wondering if it was more than just that.

“If you wish to keep conversation, tell me about what’s going on with your family.”

Jesse blinks down at the other.

“…  If you want to.” Hanzo flushes slightly, realizing that he was prying where he hadn’t meant to.

“Naw, it’s fine.  It’s just…  honestly, it’s just drama.  Gabe wants me there to help him defend his side of the argument, I guess.  No one’s goin’ to court or nothin’, so I don’t see why he wants me there so badly.” He rubs his scruffy chin thoughtfully.  “Believe me—I’d much rather be out with y’all than havin’ to be his backbone for him.  The man can’t fight his own battles sometimes.” He heaves a sigh, shaking his head.

“You an’ Genji ever try to bring other people into your arguments?”

“No.  We rarely fight anymore.  A second opinion is not needed.”

Jesse clicks his tongue, “Right, gotcha.” His eyes glance up from under his hat.  “The car’s right here.  I’ll unlock it.” He reaches for his keys in his left pocket and unlocks the doors with a soft click.

“Back seat okay?  I promise it won’t get too hot back there.” Jesse purrs beside the other’s ear.

“My clothes are not to come off.  And if they do, you will see that they are perfectly accurate to how they were before we entered your vehicle.”

Jesse winces, “Yeesh, all right, sugar.  Calm down.”

Hanzo enters with a huff, sitting properly in the seat as the other slides in and shuts the door.  The car is parked in an out-of-the-way spot of the parking lot.  Only employees would park this far out, and their shifts are nowhere near over.  Interruptions are nonexistent.

Jesse locks the doors before pressing his lips to Hanzo’s.  His hands roam the other’s smaller shoulders, thumbing the joint softly.  Eyes fluttered shut as their session began.

 

With his back arched, Hanzo’s chest pressed tightly to Jesse’s; arms wrapped around his thicker torso protectively.  And as the American began to leave trails of kisses down his neck, a ringtone sounded in the car. 

Both cease their actions.  Flustered, Hanzo squirms out of the other’s grasp and snatches his phone. 

“Genji.” He mumbles.  Swiping the “Answer” option the touch screen, Hanzo answers in Japanese, where their conversation proceeds in their native tongue.

Jesse sits awkwardly, trying not to overhear their conversation despite it being in a language he didn’t know.  He sounds angry – well, perhaps more stern than angry.  It was difficult to hear the difference sometimes.  A quick huff escapes the Japanese boy’s mouth as he pulls the phone away from his ear.

“I apologize.”

“No worries.  What’d he want?”

“It doesn’t matter.  I have to get going.”

Jesse sputters, “Wait—what?  Aw, c’mon!  We just started—“

“I do not want this escalating any more otherwise I will be late for class.”

Jesse pouts and Hanzo crawls awkwardly off of the other’s lap.  “Can I at least drive ya to where you need to be?”

He pauses, glances away and then back at him, “That would be fine, thank you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!  
> I can take questions on my tumblr @kidofsymmetry ^-^


	4. CHAPTER III

            Genji spends his time observing posts he comes across on social media.  Drama on Facebook, however, is only appealing for so long, and he refuses to get involved with anything despite having his own opinions on the subject.  He was respected for this quality – as were both of the Shimada brothers.  They kept quiet and in the dark, keeping a neutral attitude toward situations.

Hanzo is the one to silently observe, whereas Genji would do very similarly but voice his opinions to his brother.

Others’ problems were none of their concern, and being dragged into it would only cause them suffering.

Instagram is his next stop.  Genji appealed to observing the pictures artists would post, not so much reading the actual descriptions.  He admits to himself that it is a bad habit.  He followed many photography accounts as they would give him inspiration for his sketches and paintings.  Gorgeous landscapes and scenery from around the world only made his urge to travel grow.  The second best thing, other than talking with some of the photographers themselves about the countries they visited, was to recreate some of the scenes from part of the picture and his own imagination. 

A painting Genji had made hung on the wall; it was inspired from the brothers’ very last trip before coming to the States.  It consisted of a market town in Nepal—white snow lied softly on the rooftops of the buildings, people and merchants hustled about to get to their destinations, and the sun was just above rising in the late morning sky.  This specific piece was displayed because it was one of the few trips the elder brother actually enjoyed. 

Hanzo also thought the painting was one of Genji’s best pieces.  Of course they had to display it.

Despite it being a more recent work, Genji thought he wouldn’t be able to paint another like it, let alone out-do himself.  He was proud of it, and so was Hanzo.

The time pushed 9:00.  Genji shuts off his phone, sits up with a groan, and yawns.  And without wasting much more time, he walks over to his laptop, sits down, and turns it on. 

He types in his password and loads up the game.  Angela is already on.  He opens Skype and messages her, asking when she’s ready for a video call.  She replies within seconds, saying that whenever he can would work for her.

He doesn’t waste any time to call.

It rings once, twice, and she picks up right before the third ring.

“I’ve got some new spells that I think you’ll find will come in handy,” she says with a grin.

“Oh yeah?  Let’s go put that to the test then.”

 

.     .     .

            Angela is the type of Warcraft player who played only priests.  She wasn’t a fighter, it simply wasn’t something she took joy in playing.  She was a pacifist, and her characters reflected her personality; supportive, flighty, but kind and motherly. 

Genji also never knew her voice could reach pitches so high until he started playing the game with her.  She would squeal in fear and plead for him to assist her as enemies cornered her and chased her throughout a dungeon.  It was funny, but it was bittersweet when they would both die. 

“Ha!  _Aho ga!_ ” Cheered the male, finishing off the last of the enemies.

“Must violence always be the solution?” Angela huffed.  “If only we could have more of the talking quests.  I don’t think I’ve seen so many dead Murlocs before.”

“This _is_ an RPG.  Nothing gets done without _you_ having to do it.” Genji chuckles.  “If it weren’t for us, who else would the NPCs bother to run errands for them?”

“You have a point,” she giggles, “though I find their methods of collecting such small items rather merciless.”

            A subtle grin crosses Genji’s face.  Video games are a pleasant distraction from his current dilemma with his brother, and he finds himself most content exploring the woods of the fictional universe with Angela.  The serene atmosphere the game provided brought tranquility to his mind. 

The two chat about upcoming events on campus; knowing it would pique Genji’s interest, Angela mentions an upcoming arts and crafts fair and the art contest they would be hosting.  He is flattered that she considers his work to be of contest-entry level, but declines her offer to assist him with an entry of any kind.

“I read that they had different prizes for different categories,” she points out quickly, “so if digital work isn’t your strong suit, you could enter a painting instead.”  A giggle sounds from her side, “I’ll bet the one you have hanging in your dorm room will win!  The one you created from your vacation to Nepal.”

“It was hardly a vacation,” Genji laughs half-heartedly.  “I am uncertain, Angela.  I am unfamiliar with the rules.  What if it has to be a recent painting?  My free time now is limited, and I am afraid I wouldn’t have time to come up with something completely new.”

What he doesn’t know, is that she is already searching the rules to the contest on her phone.  “Painting isn’t exactly Hanzo’s favorite hobby of mine either.  It isn’t that he is not supportive, but…” A pause.

“I guess he thinks I could not make any money off of it.”

Angela stops, looks up at her computer monitor, and scowls.  “His only concern is whether or not you can make _money_ off of your work?”

“Well, that’s—“

“You cannot let him boss you around and stop you from doing something you like.  Genji, your work is gorgeous; absolutely amazing.  Your brother’s opinion is not the only one that counts.” She huffs, “’Not unsupportive’…  Everything you said tells me the exact opposite.”

Genji can tell by the tone of her voice that she is not only furious, but mildly concerned too.  She sighs loudly and silence falls over them.

“I looked up the rules for the contest.  The painting must be new, progress pictures are required, and there are different categories for a painting entry.”

“Yeah?  What are they?”

“Well, there are of course 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grand prizes.  Others include the Judges’ Award and Honorable Mentions.  1st prize gets a cash prize of $500, 2nd gets $300, and 3rd gets $200.  All three of the grand prize winners will have their pieces displayed in the college art gallery.  As for the other categories, I believe the prizes are just small gift cards.”

“How many entries are allowed for each of the lower categories?”

Angela pauses, scrolling through her phone.  “Ahh…  Only one Judges’ Award, and 2 Honorable Mentions.” She chuckles.  “They are expecting a lot of contestants.  They’re giving out over a thousand dollars in prize money.”

Genji heaves a sigh, leaning back in his chair and rubbing his face.  “You really want me to enter this?”

“I think you should.  It’s a win-win, really.  You win anything, you gain money.  And if you don’t win anything, you still have a lovely new piece.”

“That isn’t much of a saving grace.”

“So…  will you at least consider it?  You have a month, give or take a few days.”

“I’ll consider it.” He mutters, “I have not been the most confident in my artwork lately.”

“Nonsense!  You just have artist’s block,” she giggles.  “Just keep drawing and practicing, you’ll get over it soon.  That’s how you’ve overcome it in the past, isn’t it?”

A smile can’t help itself from creeping up on Genji’s lips.  She was always so optimistic.  
“It is, you’re right.  Thank you, Angela.”

“It is my absolute pleasure—“ A door opening sounds from her end of the video.  She jumps, whips her head around, and calls out, “Satya?”

There isn’t a reply.  Genji stays quiet, an unnerved feeling settles in his gut.

Angela peers around the corner.  “Sh-she isn’t feeling well.  I’m so sorry, Genji.  I have to go, but thank you for playing with me.”

He begins to utter a reply but the call is dropped almost immediately.  A disappointed sigh escapes his lips.  _I’m not her only friend,_ he reminds himself.  Her avatar disappears from the over world of their game.  He logs out himself and shuts his laptop. 

 

            He thinks over the information she shared with him of the art contest.  Deep down, he does want to win.  He wants to win first place of all, but so does everyone else.  The money could definitely do him some good, but it would most likely end up in his savings account. 

Wait.

 _Money_.

Genji’s eyes light up, a wide grin coming to his face.  _Money_ , the very thing his brother said he wouldn’t be able to obtain from painting.  Why didn’t he think of this when Angela mentioned it before?  Genji wasn’t necessarily one to spite someone, but proving Hanzo wrong would be all too perfect.

“Sorry, brother,” he says to himself in his native tongue, opening up his laptop again.  “I respect most of your opinions, but you’re wrong about this one.”

He swipes open his contacts page, scrolls to his brother, and presses down on the call button.  Seconds feeling like minutes pass; his heart pounds in his ears.  Why is he so nervous?  Would he even be able to tell him exactly what he needed to?

Genji’s thoughts are interrupted, a stern voice matching Hanzo’s answers.

“Brother!  Angela introduced me to an art festival that the school is hosting.”  _All right, good start._

“I want to enter a new painting, and first prize is $500!  She thinks I can do it, and you’ve always complained about how I could never make any funds off of my work.  Well, I think I’ve found a way.  It’s a chance I’m going to take, Hanzo.”

“You’re going to have to enter a new painting?” Replies the older, gruffly.

“Yes, that’s what the rules say.”

“And what will you do with it afterward, whether you win or not?”

“If I win one of the top three places, it goes to the art museum on campus.  And if I don’t…  w-well, I’ll give it to Angela as a birthday gift or something.” That statement was only somewhat made up on a whim.  Though he sincerely believes she takes a liking to his work, giving her something mediocre that he made wasn’t possibly the best kind of gift he could give to her.

Hanzo sighs on the other side of the line, and Genji can feel his disappointment through the phone.  “I cannot control what you choose, Genji.  If you believe you’re up to the challenge, then fine.  I’m not going to try to stop you.”

 _Click_.

Genji feels a small lump in his throat.  Those last sentences weren’t spoken in a compassionate tone whatsoever.  He stares, phone still subconsciously pressed against his ear.  Hundreds of thoughts overrun his mind, and his brain is trying to run its course processing them all at once.  When he comes back to his senses, he lowers his phone and rubs his forehead.

 _That didn’t go so bad,_ he tells himself.  _It could have gone worse,_ he reminds himself.

Why was he getting so worked up about this?  Why was he so hesitant – afraid – to confront his brother?  Rejection?  Possibly.  After all, all everyone wants to do is make the person they look up to so dearly approve of their actions.  And how Genji yearns for his brother’s approval in his artwork.  Anything else he couldn’t give a care about, yet there was just something about the pieces he creates that need to be judged and approved by others – his brother especially. 

Perhaps that is the way with other artists, and perhaps he will never understand the phenomenon that is his situation. 

 

            Genji begins to brainstorm.  He opens up Pinterest and browses through the culture tag, looking for something, _anything_ , that would get the gears turning.  China?  No, he already did a piece of the Great Wall.  Hollywood?  No, that could be a popular choice by other contestants in the contest.  India?  Possibly.  The bright colors of clothing would certainly be an eye-catcher.  Yet motivation failed to find him.  Genji felt more content simply observing what others post.  Actually working on a new piece with all this detail made his shoulders ache. 

He then comes to the thought of not creating a landscape, and instead, perhaps a portrait? 

No, he tells himself, he isn’t good at faces and people.  He could draw and illustrate comics and cartoons, but nothing realistic. 

Maybe a minimalistic silhouette, with a view of the night or evening sky in the background?  But maybe that would be too simple.  His mind wonders, thinking of different cultures and eras.  Victorian, Medieval, the Ice Age—too far. 

He groans audibly, leaning back in his chair and blankly staring at his laptop monitor.  The recommended tags on the home screen read “Religion, Animals, Italy, Greece”.

Genji’s eyes narrow.  Greece, religion.  Greek gods or goddesses?  That was a subject not a lot of artists touched on.  He clicks on the religion tag.  There, on the center of the page, is a digital work of a gorgeous, blonde-haired angel, with wings spreading across the canvas.  Oddly, he is reminded of Angela, and thinks the woman looks similar to her.

An image appears in his mind; her, Angela, wearing an off-white toga with rose petals surrounding her.  She is on the floor, facing the viewer—no, back turned, but her head is turned slightly to where her eye is seen looking down.  Her right hand clapped over her left shoulder, and her left on her waist.  Angelic wings relax, and feathers grace the petals.  Her hair is down and long, a halo resting above her small head. 

It would be perfect; he already has a vision in his mind.

But quickly, Genji shakes his head.  He can’t draw people realistically; his painting would just turn out to be a sorry attempt – an embarrassment.  Yet another thought pops into his mind.  Would Angela model for him?  Could she be his muse?

No, she wouldn’t.  The request would be creepy and she would sneer at it.

The thought of her modeling for this painting, however, was all too perfect.  She _had_ to be the one in his piece. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh hey yes i'm still updating this.   
> And the reason this took so long was because I honestly just wanted it to be longer, but I just /couldn't/ figure out how else to continue it.  
> So I hope this is a bit more exciting than the last !! I don't know how many more chapters this fic will have but I hope you enjoyed the long awaited chapter 3 c':   
> ALSO  
> another thought I had was that I thought of Greek Goddess Mercy before her new summer games skin was released, bahahaha.


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